Why Do Feet Develop Cracks or Fissures?

Some people often experience cracks on their heels, especially during the dry autumn and winter seasons, when the symptoms of foot cracks become more severe. Severe cracks can even lead to pain in the feet, affecting walking. There are many reasons for foot cracks, including malnutrition, skin fungal infections, and inherited skin diseases. It is important to identify the cause and treat it accordingly. Let's take a look at what causes foot cracks:

The elderly are the most susceptible group to experience foot cracks. This is mainly due to the slow metabolism and decreased skin elasticity caused by aging. The dead cells in the stratum corneum increase, while the number of new cells decreases, resulting in the appearance of foot cracks.

Some women may experience metabolic disorders after childbirth, which can also affect the health of their feet skin, making them prone to foot cracks.

Some people may have inherited skin diseases that can cause symptoms such as cracks and fissures. Common diseases that can cause these symptoms include keratin metabolism disorders and keratinization disorders.

Clinically, it has been observed that patients with erosive athlete's foot may experience symptoms such as fissures and cracks after peeling between their toes. This is a fungal infection of the skin, and topical antifungal drugs are generally used for treatment. If there are accompanying signs of infection, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs should also be used.

Malnutrition can affect the health of the skin, especially when the body lacks nutrients such as vitamin A and vitamin E, which can cause symptoms such as foot cracks and dryness.

During cold and dry weather, the body's metabolism slows down, blood circulation decreases, and skin elasticity decreases, making it easy to cause symptoms such as dry skin and cracks.